Guntis Ulmanis vs Jigme Thinley

Guntis Ulmanis was elected President of Latvia in July 1993 by the Saeima, becoming the first president of the restored Republic of Latvia. He was a former agricultural economist and a member of the Latvian Farmers' Union, and his election marked the end of the transitional period after independence.

Ulmanis negotiated the withdrawal of the last Russian troops from Latvia in August 1994, completing the country's full independence. The agreement was reached after prolonged talks, and the troops left by the end of the year.

Ulmanis was re-elected for a second term in June 1996 by the Saeima. His second term focused on economic reforms, integration with Western institutions, and strengthening Latvia's democratic institutions.

Thinley played a key role in revising the 1949 India-Bhutan Treaty, signed in 2007. The new treaty gave Bhutan greater autonomy in foreign policy and defense, strengthening bilateral relations.

Thinley's government implemented the 10th Five-Year Plan (2008-2013), focusing on infrastructure, education, and health. The plan aimed to reduce poverty and improve living standards while preserving cultural heritage.

Jigme Thinley became the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Bhutan on April 9, 2008, after the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa party won the first National Assembly elections. This marked Bhutan's transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy.

As PM, Thinley promoted the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index as a development philosophy, integrating it into Bhutan's Five-Year Plans. He advocated for GNH globally, emphasizing well-being over GDP.